How Does Wisdom & Meditating on Scripture Help Us in Our Life? | God’s Will

How can meditating on scripture help us understand the will of God? Why should we meditate on scripture? Aren’t there other ways to find God’s will for our life?

Summary of the will of God series is to show how the Bible lays out God’s will for our life, in all aspects of life. Anything we might encounter – the Bible shares what God’s will is.

What Gets Covered:

• 2 Commands of God’s Will that will be covered.
• Recap on what meditation means.
• Why do we need to meditate on God’s word?
• God’s word teaches us wisdom.
• How do we fear the Lord?
• What happens when we do not fear the Lord?
• How do we know God’s word?
• Christ is the word of God.
• Where does faith come?
• Key points about Christ.
• Conclusion.
• Scripture References- breakdown on how we are commanded to get wisdom and how does meditation on scripture help us for daily living.

Today, we will be breaking down two of the first commands I have listed in my post God’s Will for You Today | Instructions for Life – the importance to meditate on God’s word and to gain wisdom. As scripture is the living word of God – we know His will through reading His word.

Colossians 1:09-10 – And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

Little Recap: I’ve covered some of these topics in detail in the past. If I receive comments questioning these topics, I will not approve them. If you have comments or questions that get covered in the post, your comments might not be approved. Please see: Rules For Comments (Why Some May Not Appear)

• Meditation on God’s word (scripture) – we need to read scripture in order. We need to chew on (think about) what scripture is saying, and then regurgitate (mentally) those thoughts and reread and chew on scripture more. We also must pray and ask for wisdom. See: How To Mediate On God’s Word (The Right Way) & Why It’s Important
• Can we hear God outside of scripture – Last week I shared the problems of Listening Prayers & Their Dangers you might also want to check out:
  • How Do I Know God’s Will For My Life?
  • Should We Use Our Emotions As Truth? | What Is Emotionalism?
  • Contemplative Prayer/Spirituality | What You Need To Know About That “Still, Small Voice”
  • The Still Small Voice | Problems With People Speaking As “Jesus”
  • Christian Mysticism | Are We Putting God In A Box?

Why We Need to Meditate on God’s Word

We need to first understand one important truth before we are able to correctly meditate on God’s word; which is that our eyes must first be opened to the truth of Jesus because unless our eyes are open we will not accept the things of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:14, John 14:17)

Meditation is a requirement and command for the Christian.

God makes it clear that the only way to understand Him is to read and understand His word.

God’s Will For Us Today:

• Fear the Lord.
• Treasure the word of God for God alone is wise.
• Know Who the Holy One is.
• Seek after wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. Obtain it and hold them to your heart for wisdom directs us in godliness, justice, and in knowing how to turn away from sin.

Proverbs 2:03-05 – Yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. (Proverbs 3:14 points out that wisdom is more profitable than silver and gold.)

Note: Wisdom helps us understand WHY we need to fear God.

In fact, this is one of the promises of God. Pray for wisdom, seek after wisdom through God’s word, and He will provide wisdom. (See: In What Ways Is God Faithful | What Promises Does The Christian Have? & He is Faithful | God’s Promises)

James 1:05-06 – If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

God is Wisdom- God’s Word Teaches Us Wisdom

Question: How do I know that God gives wisdom through scripture?

Let’s continue the verses in Proverbs 2.

Answer: Proverbs 2:06-12 – For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech.

We Are to Fear the Lord

Fearing the Lord comes from both a natural and healthy fear of God and then through Christ, we can fear the Lord in deep reverence. Fearing God shows a sense of humility and a willingness to admit we do not know best, but God does.

Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. (Proverbs 9:10, 1:07, 15:33)

Proverbs 7:01-05 – My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call insight your intimate friend, to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.

This passage in Proverbs points out a few things about wisdom that we will see in many other verses throughout the Bible:

• We are to treasure God’s commands.
  • We do this by keeping God’s commands as the apple of our eye. The Hebrew means “little man of the eye.” Thinking of the reflection we see in the eye. What is valued most to us is the apple of our eye. Do our lives reflect Him and the desire to have Christ be the reason for our life? (See Got Questions: What Does It Mean To Be The Apple of God’s Eye?)
• We are to keep God’s commands. (Be obedient.)
  • How? Bind them on our fingers and tablets on our heart. Again, this refers to an intimacy and being extremely familiar with the words of the Lord. We need to know scripture. We need to fellowship with like-minded believers. Encourage one another, be able to ask questions and find answers through scripture. We need to find leaders who are godly. We need to find a godly church that teaches scripture.
• We are to consider commands intimately, like family. Keep these words close to us. Have these words instruct us, like a parent. Consider the Lord in all that we do.
• Wisdom helps us identify sin through scripture and discern what is godly and what is not. See: What is Sin? What are Sins Listed in the Bible? | Bite-Sized

What Happens If We Do Not Know God’s Word

• Those whose eyes are not opened will consider God’s word and the Gospel foolishness. (1 Corinthians 1:18)
• If you are not a follower of Jesus, you will die in sin and your eternal punishment is hell. Please see: Why Did A Loving God Kill His Son? (Does God Hate?)
• If we are not familiar with scripture – we will not understand God properly.
• If we are reading scripture wrong – we will not understand God properly.
• Therefore, if we do not understand the Lord, then we will have issues understanding His will for us. Our relationship with Him will be affected in negative ways.
• Therefore, reading scripture helps us understand God’s will, and our relationship with the Lord can grow.

How Do We Know God’s Word

Understanding scripture is more than just reading scripture. Faith is involved to understand scripture because the word of God is about Christ, and Jesus is the Author and Finisher of faith (Hebrews 12:02, Galatians 1:11-12, John 14:06). The Holy Spirit points us back to the teachings of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit ministers to the world about sin, righteousness, and the judgment to come before indwelling in them. (John 16:08, 14:26, 15:26)

Proverbs 9:10 says that knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. As shown above from the beginning of Proverbs 7, we see wisdom helps us know what is of God and what is not. If we have truly received wisdom, we will see how wisdom is actually all about Christ. Knowledge of the Holy One.

Proverbs 9:10 – The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

Insight relates to understanding. So, there is a connection between wisdom and understanding. Jesus the Christ is the missing link. We can only understand and receive wisdom properly, if we understand the truth of Christ, Who is revealed through scripture.

Colossians 1:09-10 (see above) shares how the apostles were praying for others to receive the wisdom of God’s will, but this is only after Paul acknowledges the church’s eyes were opened to the truth of the Gospel.

Colossians 1:05-06 – because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth.

The Old Testament introduces the Gospel. Fall of man, need for grace to be shown, need for God to pardon sin, sacrifice, atonement, and the need for redemption. (Check Out: Covenant of Redemption | Understanding The Trinity)

Warning to Not Turn Away from God’s Word

Throughout the Old Testament, there is a constant reminder for God’s people to NOT forget His words. God’s people are warned when they forget God’s commandments and their focus turns away from Him – then they will turn to idols, false gods, and trust their pride, their sin. (See: Deuteronomy 8)

As Proverbs 7 pointed out, God’s word helps us turn away from sin. We must be able to resist temptation and turn away. Who can break the bondage of sin, but Christ alone.

Christ is the word of God, the Living Bread

The righteousness of God is found in Jesus the Christ, the Anointed, the Messiah. The book of Isaiah helps us gain a picture of why we need to find wisdom in Christ. The things we are told to do as Christians, Jesus lived perfectly.

Isaiah 11:01-04 – There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

Jesus has always been God. If you would like to learn more about the Trinity and the Covenant of Redemption – check out: Covenant of Redemption | Understanding The Trinity

John 1:01 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Consider these verses about how we can only live on the words of God and how Christ is our living bread, the word of God.

Deuteronomy 8:03 – And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

John 6:51 (Jesus is speaking) – I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

Note: Christ is speaking symbolically and spiritually about His flesh see John 6:63

Paul mentions how righteousness is revealed through faith.

Romans 1:16-17 – For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Question: Where does faith come?

Answer: Romans 10:17 – So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Everything comes back to God’s word.

The Gospel explains the righteousness of God. Christ is the word of God. Christ is righteous, wise, and sinless. The word of God gives us wisdom and righteousness. The word of God is about the Gospel message. Therefore, Jesus is how we find wisdom and righteousness.

As mentioned, Jesus is the Author of faith. We need to understand the Gospel, and we need to understand how the whole Bible is about Jesus Christ. (For more of a breakdown see: Righteousness Points To Jesus | Christ In The Old Testament)

Things to Consider About Jesus:

• No one comes to the Father except through the Son. (John 14:06)
• He is the word of God.
• He is God.
• He has the Spirit of God, of counsel, of might, of wisdom and understanding, and of knowledge.
• He delights in fearing the Lord.

In Conclusion:

• Wisdom is knowledge about God, about Jesus, how Jesus is God, the Messiah, the Redeemer, salvation, sin, why we need the Lord, etc.
• Wisdom is found only through God.
• God instructs us to gain wisdom, understanding, and knowledge of the Holy One. He tells us to obey His word and to seek after His word.
• Jesus is the God-Man. He is the Author of faith. Christ is the word of God, the bread that came down from Heaven. The whole Bible is about the Gospel. If we reject Christ, we will not understand scripture, therefore, we will not understand the Lord or His will for our life.
• Jesus leads us to life, to being righteous and blameless before God. Wisdom is all about righteousness and how we are to love the Lord and others. Wisdom explains Who the Lord is and what He desires.
• To understand the Lord we need to understand His word by first having our eyes opened to the Gospel, through putting faith in Christ, and receiving grace. Only then can we read scripture correctly.
• We should read scripture often because the word of God is life, breath, and water. Otherwise, we are spiritually starving, and our relationship with the Lord, and understanding of the Lord will be hindered.
• Wisdom helps us identify sin, and gives us the tools to grow and be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
• Wisdom helps us understand the Lord and the Gospel better.
• Wisdom helps us obey the Lord and fear Him.
• Wisdom helps us love the Lord.
• Wisdom helps equip the saints.

As you might have realized, we do not need to seek God outside of scripture. When we do not think God’s word is enough, we rely on our weak knowledge and fickle emotions to determine what is of God and what is not. When we seek God outside of scripture we very well might try to use techniques found in the occult. Spirits, demons, will pretend to be Christ or angels of light. Let God define Himself and His commands through His living and breathing word.

Scripture References to Study:

No one can say God’s word isn’t sufficient for daily life and that we need to seek Him outside of scripture through feelings, thoughts, and experiences. If we truly love and abide in Christ, we will follow (obey) His commands. (John 15:04-05)

Meditating on God’s Word Instructions:

• Listen to instruction (Proverbs 4:01,04 , 5:07 , 7 , 8:32-35 , 9:04-06
• Gain/Get Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Pray for it (Proverbs 2:03-05, 3:13-14, Ch. 4, 4:01,05 , 7, 9:04-06 , 16:16 , 18:15 , 20:15 , 23:12 | 2 Peter 1:05)
• Delight in Understanding (Proverbs 18:02)
• Do not wander/forget wisdom, understanding, knowledge (Proverbs 3:21-26, 4:05 , 5:07 , 7 , 8:33 , 21:16, 23:23)
• Listen to wisdom (Proverbs 22:17-21, 23:12)
• Treasure & Obey God’s Commands (Proverbs 3:21-26 , 7:02 | 2 John 1:06-09 | Deuteronomy 13:04 | John 14:15-23 | 1 John 2:05-07

Increasing in Wisdom, Understanding, and Knowledge Helps Us:

• Fear the Lord (Psalm 111:10 | Proverbs 1:07, 9:10, 15:33 | Deuteronomy 13:04)
• Understand the will of God (Ephesians 1:07-17 | Romans 12:02)
• Understand the Holy One (1 John 2:18-23 | Proverbs 9:10 | Ephesians 4:13 | 2 Peter 1:02-08 | John 17:03 | Philippians 3:08)
• By warning us that lack of understanding/wisdom can lead to adultery and foolishness (Proverbs 6:32 , 7 | 1 Corinthians 1:18
• Learn discernment/what’s right and wrong (Ephesians 5:11-13 | Proverbs 10:32)
• By providing correction (Proverbs 12:01 , 15:10)
• Delight in understanding (Proverbs 10:02)
• Hope (Proverbs 24:14)
• Seek Counsel/Taking Advice (Proverbs 12:15, 13:10, 19:20)
• Use knowledge correctly – (Proverbs 15:02)
• Abound in godly love (Philippians 1:09 | 2 John 1:06-09)
• Listen to knowledge not foolishness (Proverbs 15:14)
• Study how to answer (Proverbs 15:28 , 2 Corinthians 10:05)
• Not be foolish (Proverbs 18:02 , 20:03)
• Understand justice through understanding God (Proverbs 28:05)
• By leading us to life (Proverbs 8:35)
• Transform our mind/perspective (Romans 12:02 | 2 Corinthians 1:05)
• Builds up the Church body & Equips the saints (Ephesians 4:11-13)
• Building up a home, making life choices (Proverbs 24:03-06)

The Gospel Message– The Gospel message is good news, which means there’s bad news. We all are sinners and condemned. We all deserve the just punishment of God’s wrath. Christianity is unlike any other religion because we cannot earn our way into Heaven. God saw the weakness of man and his utter depravity. Yet, He showed us grace. Jesus, God, One Person of the Trinity, became God in the flesh, the God-Man. He was always perfect and sinless. And His humanity was perfected on the cross, living the full sinless life. He became our atonement sacrifice. Dying in our place, taking on the wrath of God upon Himself. He died on the cross, and He was resurrected because death could not hold Him. Jesus is the answer. We, as guilty sinners, need His blood to pay off our debt of sin. For all who put their faith in Him – meaning eyes are opened to the Gospel, we see ourselves as a sinner, we see the need for Christ, we desire our Savior, and we see the ugliness of our sin. Putting our faith in Jesus, we seek HIs forgiveness and repent from our sins, we turn away from our old way of life. We, through the work of the Holy Spirit, continue to become convicted of sin daily. Our eyes will never be the same again. We see things in a different light, and the truth of Christ affects how we live and serve Him. Christ tells us to count the cost. Salvation is a serious topic, it is not to be taken lightly. For a breakdown of this powerful message, understanding how Christ could be God and Man, why God required sacrifices, and more -please see: Why Did A Loving God Kill His Son? (Does God Hate?)

If you think you know the Gospel, check out these questions and see how prepared you are for the day someone might ask you why you believe: The Gospel Challenge (30 Question Quiz) – Are You Ready To Defend Your Faith?

Scripture To Meditate On –(ESV) John 1:03 – All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Community Prayer– September ‘22

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